When an unprecedented number of CC workers had to switch to a work-from-home (WFH) model—often using ad-hoc, remote workspaces—call volumes and customer requests surged. The employees working remotely have to manage with less-than-secure legacy systems, limited customer support tools, and a widespread organizational support system.

As organizations prepare to welcome employees, customers and visitors back to travel, events, and workplaces they must strategize to not just reopen safely but return to capacity utilization that will provide an economic boost. Digital health credentials are expected to be pivotal in sustaining reopening and building trust.

In the modern manufacturing industry, data is considered a strategic asset, and market leaders are evolving their processes and business models to harness its benefits. Savvy manufacturers turn to artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), collaborative robots (cobots), and advanced metrology to improve production efficiency and product quality.

Market maturity, downward pricing pressure, and lack of sustained demand for point-to-point Ethernet services with SD-WAN (software-defined wide area network) will result in the market dropping from $6.35 billion in 2021 to $5.94 billion by 2024.

A Gartner survey revealed that most millennials (62%) and Gen Z customers (75%) report they would use noncompany guidance (such as a subreddit, Google search or YouTube video) to self-resolve their issues either all or most of the time, even when they have the option of contacting customer service.

Cybersecurity for commercial and public sectors is estimated to reach $68.01 billion by 2030, driven by the ongoing threat of cyberattacks and government rules concerning privacy policies and data protection. The surge in digital infrastructures, mobile users, and wireless network usage is compelling organizations across sectors to embrace security convergence.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has propelled the demand for workforce engagement management and analytics applications. This increases the deployment of cloud/hybrid setups and creates opportunities to leverage digital solutions that support work-at-home agents (WAHA), self-service bots, and artificial intelligence-enabled solutions.

A new global survey conducted by BCG GAMMA finds that 55% of all respondents overestimated the maturity of their responsible artificial intelligence (RAI) program—the structures, processes, and tools that help organizations ensure that their AI systems work in the service of good while transforming their businesses.

Forrester predicts that employment protection initiatives instituted during the pandemic will diminish incentives and further delay CIOs’ plans for automation across Europe. This is despite the fact that 76% of European organizations are already underprepared for automation compared to 65% in Asia Pacific and 73% in North America.

Technology is upending labor markets, and governments, companies, and individuals need to look beyond aggregate numbers and consider how individual professions will be affected. A new analysis quantifies the impact of technology by 2030 in Australia, Germany, and the United States. The report is being released by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Faethm.

Customer service and support leaders are accelerating self-service initiatives to mitigate potential negative impacts of the pandemic, according to Gartner, Inc. More than 40% of customer service and support leaders have experienced increased service contact volumes compared to original 2020 projections due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The evolution towards an autonomous supply chain has already begun, and this transformation coincides and is driven by members of Generation Z (Gen Z), that have just started to enter the workforce, according to Gartner, Inc. Today’s supply chain leaders expect them to be innovators that accelerate supply chain digitalization and pave the way towards hyperautomation.

The US has lost its status as the place foreigners would most like to work, with Canada now regarded as the top destination. The study shows that the pandemic has had a major impact on people’s attitudes toward work abroad, reducing their interest generally and inclining them toward countries that have done the best job of containing the coronavirus.

Gartner’s survey revealed 68% of employees would consider quitting their current job and working with an organization with a stronger viewpoint on the social issues that matter most to them. Employees whose employer has taken a strong stance on current societal and cultural issues are twice as likely to report high job satisfaction.

One year ago, COVID-19 was declared a global health emergency, impacting all sectors virtually overnight. With the pandemic hitting this benchmark, Forrester analysts are available for interviews to discuss how specific sectors have been impacted these past months worldwide, as well as what 2021 will look like as we keep adjusting to this “new normal.”

Only 23% of B2B sales reps believe they are equally effective selling virtually as they are in a live, onsite setting, according to Gartner, Inc. However, Gartner’s survey showed that 58% of sales reps also report they have dedicated coaching sessions with their sales managers on effective virtual selling.

A global Gartner, Inc. survey found that 87% of respondents plan investments in supply chain resiliency within the next two years. The survey, conducted from September 2020 through November 2020, showed that even more supply chain professionals (89%) want to invest in agility (see Figure 1).

User interface (UI) technologies have moved beyond simply representing machines to users to enabling sophisticated and personalized interaction. Their use has accelerated in healthcare, manufacturing, education, retail, and banking to simplify interactivity and improve engagement. The global AR/VR market is expected to reach $661.40 billion by 2025.

Employees who traditionally did not have many opportunities to WFH are now used to it, like it, and wish to continue in some capacity once the pandemic is over. This is in line with most service leaders who believe WFH is here to stay post-pandemic. 81% of service leaders believe between 30-80% of their workforce will primarily be working from home two years from now.

The proliferation of remote work and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic will drive global demand for wireless content sharing. Comprised of remote collaboration tools such as video streaming, application and other similar capabilities, these enable users to collaborate effectively from anywhere at any time and from any device.